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The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states: "Pulse diagnosis is usually performed at dawn (Pingdan), when Yin Qi has not yet stirred, Yang Qi has not yet dispersed, food and drink have not been ingested, the Jing Mai (Primary Meridians) are not yet full, the Luo Mai (Collaterals) are harmonious and even, and the Qi and Blood are not yet chaotic. Only then can abnormal pulses be diagnosed." (Dawn is the time of transition between Yin and Yang. Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) circulate fifty times through the body in a day and night. During the day, they travel through the Yang meridians; at night, through the Yin meridians. By dawn, they reconverge at the Cun Kou (Radial Artery). At this moment, upon waking, Yin Qi is about to recede but has not fully done so, Yang Qi is about to flourish but has not yet scattered. Food has not been eaten, and Grain Qi has not yet circulated. Therefore, the Qi of the Jing Mai is not yet vigorous, while the Qi of the Luo Mai is harmonious and even, and Qi and Blood have not reached a state of disturbance. It is only then that pathological pulses can be diagnosed. "You Guo" means having disease. If food enters the stomach, Grain Qi flows; the straight-running meridians often become strong, while among the transversely running collaterals, those where Qi arrives first become strong, and those where Qi has not yet arrived become weak. The pulses of the meridians and collaterals cannot be harmonious and even, so the relative strength and weakness of Qi and Blood cannot be fully relied upon.)

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The *Huangdi Neijing* states: "From the Yu Ji point to the high bone, measuring backwards one cun, is named Cun Kou. From Cun Kou to Chi Ze, it is named Chi Ze. Hence it is called Cun-Chi. Behind Cun Kou and before Chi Ze is named Guan." (From the Yu Ji point to the high bone on the thumb measures one cun, hence named "Cun". From the Chi Ze point on the inner elbow/wrist to the high bone measures one chi, hence named "Chi". Exactly above the high bone is the junction of the Chi and Cun sections, hence named "Guan". Is its meaning insignificant!) Bian Que said: "Cun and Chi are the great convergence of pulse essentials. From Guan to Chi is the Chi section, governing the interior Yin organs. From Guan to Yu Ji is the Cun Kou, governing the interior Yang organs." ("Yao" means essential; "Hui" means assembly. Both Cun and Chi belong to the Lung meridian, and all pulses come to assemble here; is this not an essential location! The Kidney and Liver are Yin, located within the Chi section. The Heart and Lungs are Yang, located within the Cun section. "Zhi" means belonging/subordination, referring to the associated positions.) Qi Bo said: "Humans have three sections, each with three positions, used to determine life and death, treat various diseases, regulate deficiency and excess, and eliminate pathogenic disorders." (Three sections refer to Upper, Middle, and Lower. Three positions refer to Heaven, Earth, and Human. In ancient times, pulse diagnosis was not limited to the Cun Kou but included palpation of arterial pulses in various meridians. This refers to the San Bu Jiu Hou method. Thus, Bian Que's San Bu Jiu Hou differs significantly from the original intent of the *Neijing*, which is clear.) The Yellow Emperor asked: "What are the three sections?" Qi Bo replied: "There is an Upper section, a Middle section, and a Lower section. Each section has three positions, corresponding to Heaven, Earth, and Human. Upper Heaven is the arterial pulse at both temples; Upper Earth is the arterial pulse at both cheeks; Upper Human is the arterial pulse in front of the ears. Middle Heaven is the Hand Taiyin (Lung) meridian; Middle Earth is the Hand Yangming (Large Intestine) meridian; Middle Human is the Hand Shaoyin (Heart) meridian. Lower Heaven is the Foot Jueyin (Liver) meridian; Lower Earth is the Foot Shaoyin (Kidney) meridian; Lower Human is the Foot Taiyin (Spleen) meridian. Thus, Lower Heaven inspects the Liver, Lower Earth inspects the Kidney, and Lower Human inspects the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach." The Yellow Emperor asked: "How are the three positions of the Middle section?" Qi Bo said: "There is also Heaven, Earth, and Human. Heaven inspects the Lungs, Earth inspects the Qi of the Chest Center, and Human inspects the Heart." The Yellow Emperor asked: "How is the Upper section inspected?" Qi Bo said: "There is also Heaven, Earth, and Human. Heaven inspects the Qi of the head and angles, Earth inspects the Qi of the mouth and teeth, and Human inspects the Qi of the eyes and ears. The three sections each have Heaven, Earth, and Human. Three make Heaven, three make Earth, three make Human. Three multiplied by three equals nine." (From this, we deduce that the *Neijing* indicates specific arterial locations on the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body correspond to specific areas for diagnosis, not just the Cun Kou. For example, Zhang Zhongjing's pulse method takes the Cun Kou above and the Duzhong pulse below, following this principle. The *Nanjing* states that "the three sections are Cun, Guan, Chi, and the nine positions are Floating, Moderate, and Deep," dividing the three sections and nine positions solely by the Cun Kou. Later generations of pulse experts revere this method. Although it is a convenient method, does it not deviate from the *Neijing*'s original intent? [Commentary] Bian Que said: "Upper section follows Heaven, governing diseases from the chest up to the head. Middle section follows Human, governing diseases from below the diaphragm to the umbilicus. Lower section follows Earth, governing diseases from below the umbilicus to the feet," still adhering to the *Neijing*'s principle of "upper corresponds to upper, lower corresponds to lower." However, regarding the nine positions, dividing them into Floating, Moderate, and Deep based on the Cun, Guan, Chi sections—could this not be erroneous again! If Bian Que's view is correct, then Xuanyuan Qibo's view is wrong; if Xuanyuan Qibo's view is correct, then Bian Que's view is wrong! Therefore, I must interject. Floating and Deep palpation need no debate. There is only "Moderate within Floating"; how can there be "Moderate within Deep"? Floating without Moderate implies rootlessness. Deep necessarily lacks Moderate. Why is it only stated that Deep pulse governs Interior syndromes, without mentioning inevitable fatal symptoms? People generally know the "Middle" of centrality but not the "Middle" of harmony. The classic states: "When True Zang pulses appear, death occurs." Pulses lacking Stomach Qi are called True Zang pulses. Thus, except for various strange pulses, all can be considered as having "Moderate." Why abandon obvious scriptural texts to grope in the ignorance of Floating-Moderate and Deep-Moderate distinctions? This is inexplicable. Moreover, pulse diagnosis involves hand measurement and visual inspection, not just finger palpation. History records Bian Que famous for pulse diagnosis, and subsequent figures like Cang Gong and Zhang Zhongjing competed in fame. Errors have propagated, becoming more complex over time. I have studied the classics and grasped their essence. Renying pulse is only beside the throat; the three sections must include hand and foot arteries. Zang Qi is inspected on the left hand, Fu Qi on the right hand. Cun inspects the upper, Chi inspects the lower, for both Zang and Fu, avoiding any doubt or confusion. The complexities of Seven Tables, Eight Li, and Nine Channels are inferior even to Bian Que's wisdom. Since most people know these, I will not elaborate further.)

[Commentary] The *Huangdi Neijing* posits that each of the three sections has Heaven, Earth, and Human, totaling nine positions. Upper, Middle, and Lower are not fixed to the Cun position, differing from Bian Que's Cun-Upper, Guan-Middle, Chi-Lower. The Upper section is entirely defined by arterial pulses at the temples (Heaven inspects head/angles, pulse felt at the empty space beside the pupil bone); Human inspects cheek arteries (Tinghui points etc.); Earth inspects mouth/teeth Qi (pulse near Juliao point). Thus, the face has not only color diagnosis but also pulse diagnosis. Pulse diagnosis uses the Seven Diagnoses to detail head and face conditions (excessively large, small, rapid, slow, hot, cold, sunken). The three positions of the Middle section are all diagnosed at Cun. Earth inspects Chest Center Qi, which is the Qi Kou. As stated in the *Meridians Chapter*, Qi moves to the Fu organs, specifically the Danzhong/Qihai point. Lower Heaven inspects Liver at Guan, Lower Earth inspects Kidney at Chi, Lower Human inspects Spleen/Stomach Qi. In the three sections' positions, Heaven is upper, Human is middle, Earth is lower. Lower Human appears above Heaven because Heavenly Qi descends to connect with Earth's Yin Qi; this is Heaven within Earth. Humans are higher than Earth, thus higher than Heaven within Earth. The three sections use Head to inspect Head-related matters, Hand to inspect Zang-Fu related matters, excluding below the umbilicus to feet because the four foot meridians involve Kidney governing bones, Liver governing sinews, Spleen governing limbs, Stomach governing tendons, connected to Kidney and governed by bones/sinews. Thus, Hand inspects Zang-Fu and extends to below umbilicus/feet because all pulses connect hands and feet, and foot meridians connect to hands (e.g., Shanglian, Xialian, etc.). One should not rigidly adhere to Head-inspects-Head to mean Hand-inspects-Hand or Foot-inspects-Foot. Later in the chapter, it reiterates: "Press five cun above the ankle with the left hand, then flick the right foot at the ankle. If the response exceeds five cun and feels slightly moving (Ruru), the person is healthy. If the response is rapid and feels chaotic (Hunhun), there is disease. If slow and delayed (Xuxu), there is disease. If the response does not reach five cun or does not respond to flicking, death ensues." (This flicking technique relates to acupuncture principles, elucidating pulse theory together.) Above the wrist is the Hand Taiyin Lung meridian, corresponding to the Middle section (five cun from ankle to Taiyuan). Above the ankle is the Foot Taiyin Spleen meridian, corresponding to the Lower section (five cun above medial malleolus, above Sanyinjiao, below Lougu). Thus, the Middle section's three positions can be summarized by the Hand Taiyin (assembly of all pulses, central center). The Lower section's three positions can be summarized by the Foot Taiyin (Yin Earth, Qi descends). Pressing and flicking ankles exhausts the measure of the two Taiyin meridians completely, allowing assessment of auspiciousness/misfortune. Special attention to Taiyin meridians is due to Taiyin belonging to Kun (Earth/Stomach). Hand Taiyin Middle Heaven governs Middle Earth and Human, valuing Heaven's center. Lower Human governs Lower Heaven and Earth, valuing Human's center. Harmony between Heaven and Human stabilizes Earth. The *Neijing*'s profound meaning requires sage-like understanding; thus, Bian Que's mapping of Cun/Guan/Chi to Upper/Middle/Lower is incomplete.

Slip Boyren (Hua Boluo) said: "In pulse diagnosis, first regulate one's own breath. For men, left hand first; for women, right hand first. Use the middle finger to locate the Guan position, then place index and ring fingers. Initially, lightly feel (Ju); moderately feel (Xun); heavily feel (An). From Cun to Chi, investigate each section. Four beats per respiration is the standard; with a deep sigh, five beats is the normal pulse. Excess or deficiency indicates pathological pulses, judged by their respective sections." (Regulating breath clarifies pulse rate. Men are Yang, so left hand first; women are Yin, so right hand first. Locating Guan with the middle finger ensures accuracy of Cun and Chi. Light pressure is Ju; moderate is Xun; heavy is An. Four beats/respiration is harmonious; five with a sigh is harmonious. Excess is surging/large/forceful; deficiency is slow/fine/weak. Judge severity based on Zang-Fu, assess compliance/deviation, and determine fate/life/death.)

He also said: "If arms are long, space fingers widely; if short, place fingers closely. Within the three sections, if size, floating/deep, slow/rapid are equal, and Cun/Chi, Yin/Yang, high/low match, and male/female, left/right, strong/weak correspond, and seasonal pulses do not conflict, the person is healthy. If any section shows exclusively large/small, rapid/slow, or left/right, strong/weak contradict, or seasons/gender oppose, these are pathological pulses. Left hand disharmony indicates Exterior/Yang disease, governing limbs; Right hand disharmony indicates Interior/Yin disease, governing abdominal organs." (Long arms imply long pulses, requiring wider spacing; short arms imply short pulses, requiring closer spacing. Equal means not large/small, floating/deep, slow/fast. Matching means Cun (Yang/high) should be floating/large; Chi (Yin/low) should be deep/small. Correspondence means larger left suits men, larger right suits women; men have strong Cun/weak Chi, women have strong Chi/weak Cun. Non-conflict means Spring wiry, Summer surging, Autumn fine, Winter stone. These four are healthy pulses. Exclusivity in size/rate, contradiction in left/right/season/gender indicates pathology. Left is Yang/Exterior/limbs; Right is Yin/Interior/abdominal organs. Others follow this logic.)

He further said: "Understanding pulse requires knowing six characters: Up, Down, Come, Go, Arrival, Stop. Without this, Yin/Yang and Deficiency/Excess cannot be distinguished. Up is Yang, Down is Yin; Come is Yang, Go is Yin; Arrival is Yang, Stop is Yin. Up moves from Chi to Cun, Yang born from Yin. Down moves from Cun to Chi, Yin born from Yang. Come emerges from muscle/bone to skin, Qi ascending. Go returns from skin to muscle/bone, Qi descending. Response is Arrival, Rest is Stop." (Up/Down compares Chi and Cun. Yang born from Yin: Left Chi Water generates Left Guan Wood; Left Guan Wood generates Left Cun Fire. Right Chi Fire generates Right Guan Earth; Right Guan Earth generates Right Cun Metal. Yin born from Yang: Right Cun Metal generates Left Chi Water; Left Cun Sovereign Fire shares power with Right Chi Minister Fire. Come is Qi ascending, governing Yang. Go is Qi descending, governing Yin. *Neijing* describes "strong coming, weak going" as Hook pulse, image of abundant Yang Qi. If both strong, Hook is excessive; if coming weak and going strong, Hook is deficient. Response is normal pulse feeling. Stop is irregular pause, such as Cu, Jie, Se, Dai pulses.)